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BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

September 2, 2008

Jay Williamson

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

JAY WILLIAMSON: I've got to say that it's a real honor to be here. It's an honor to represent St. Louis. It's an honor to represent Bellerive Country Club, and it's really a dream come true, and I feel extremely fortunate to be here. It's a culmination of a long journey, and I'm not retiring or anything next week, but it's been a long trip and it's fun to be here this week.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Talk a little bit about when this tournament was on the schedule, I'm sure you had goals during the season, but I'm sure one of them was getting here because not only is it your home course but you've had a successful year.
JAY WILLIAMSON: You know, when they announced this date a couple years ago, I mean, there were a lot of good things about it obviously, but one of the things that stuck out to me was the fact that there were going to be no sponsor's exemptions for this field. So obviously that meant to me that I needed to perform and qualify to get into this event, and that's the best thing about this event, that I'm not here because someone gave me a spot. I'm here because I earned it, and I'm just looking forward to the week.
It's always great to be home, but it's even better to be home and have a tee time, and I haven't really had that opportunity very often. I don't really know what to expect, to be honest with you. I've had a lot of questions as to what to expect, and I really don't know. I don't know how the golf course is going to be. I'm really very -- I'm in a similar situation to the other 68 guys that are here, other than the fact that I know how to get here a lot easier than they do, which I heard has been an issue.

Q. I know you haven't played the course yet, but there's a bunch of rain in the forecast. Just assuming the setup is what you might expect it to be, what do you think the rain will do to the scores?
JAY WILLIAMSON: You know, I just had a conversation with Jon Brendle, the TOUR official, one of the guys responsible for setting up the golf course, and I've heard they're playing it a little longer now, No. 4 at 510, No. 10 at 505, and those greens really weren't built for 3-woods and rescues and 4-woods to be hit into. They're par-5 greens.
I think the true test of Bellerive is keeping the ball in the fairway. The fairways are so good. I've already heard how good the zoysia is. It's almost too good. Keep the ball in the fairway. You're going to be able to get the ball close to these flags because of the rain. I don't think there's a chance of rain; I don't think it's a matter of if; I think it's going to be a matter of when, unfortunately.
The greens are already soft, not really that fast, and unfortunately those are really the defenses that this golf course has.
So I think it's going to make the scores a little bit better this week with the rain.

Q. Just to follow up, you don't think the rain will be an issue?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I've been out here like 12 years now, and I think I've averaged 288 yards for 12 years off the tee. I used to be in the top third, you know, out of let's say 120 guys. But now 288 yards is locally mediocre right in the middle of the pack. So what I think is a long golf course for guys in the field is not really long.
Length isn't the issue of golf courses out there anymore. Guys can hit it so far. That's not the issue. The issue is getting the ball in the fairway. I think that's why Ridgewood played tough a couple weeks ago, and I think that's why Boston played a little bit easier last week, because the fairways are pretty generous. I think it's just going to be a question of getting the ball in the fairway here, and then you'll be able to attack the greens. I don't think unfortunately length means much to guys anymore, which doesn't help me, but that's the way it is.

Q. I know you're excited about this week, but it's going to be distraction city for you. How tough is that going to be for you at some point, to just have to say no or walk away from people or whatever that you're going to have to do?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I've kind of figured this out. I'm actually just going to blame you if I don't blame well this week. That seems to be the way -- that's the way that we do it. As a player, if I don't perform well it's got to be your fault.
I don't know, I've always kind of looked at things differently maybe. I always try to look at you guys as friends, and the distractions are a good thing. The fact that I'm here and people actually want to come out and congratulate me and wish me good luck, I think that's -- I don't know how that could be a bad thing. It's nice to be in a place where people recognize you and wish you good luck. I'm looking forward to it. I'll see a lot of people this week that I haven't seen for a while. I'm not home that much, so just the fact that I'm in the field is -- I'm taking it a day at a time, but I don't think that that's going to be an issue with the distractions. I've got enough distractions at home.
I've learned in the last couple years, especially since I've had a family, that once you get to the golf course, it's time to play golf. No one wants to hear the excuses. And there are a lot of guys out here that don't make them, and that's why they're here this week.

Q. The John Deere Classic was a great tournament for you. How exciting would it be to be able to repeat that kind of performance, especially in front of your home crowd?
JAY WILLIAMSON: If the same thing happens with Kenny Perry coming down the stretch on 18, the good thing is there's no water on 18 and there's no tractor for me to try to hit, so it'll be -- that would be something. I'd take that repeat performance, not that I'd want to settle for second, but I could probably deal with that again this week.
But that was a great experience, and obviously I would have liked to have had it end differently, but they had the consolation prize of going to the British Open, which was another dream come true for me.

Q. You talked this morning and I was very interested, you're now 41 years old --
JAY WILLIAMSON: Shh, don't say that too loud.

Q. But you talked about your maturing as a player and as a person, and you talked about -- a little bit of spiritualism that's now involved in your life. You've obviously changed your outlook. I mean, it wasn't too long ago that you were thinking about selling stocks.
JAY WILLIAMSON: Oh, I still think about it. I mean, to be honest with you, I don't really have a choice. I mean, playing the Nationwide Tour last year, when I had to persevere through the first couple weeks out there, I realized that I'd better figure out how to get the ball in the hole because I don't know if anyone is going to be hiring a 41-year-old golfer to do anything for a while.
So pretty much I'm out here because I don't really have a choice. This is what I do best, and I've really just tried to do whatever I could to stay out here. I mean, this is -- as a job goes, this is pretty good.

Q. But would you say that you've recommitted yourself to this?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I don't know if I was ever uncommitted. I have three kids at home, and it's hard to stay completely focused on it. You know, and maybe I did recommit a little bit. I'm trying to stay in shape, just trying to get better. Having a little bit more faith has certainly helped me.
I don't have a goalie out there making saves, and I don't have a coach telling me what to do, the manager is not in the dugout glaring at me. I've got a wife at home that wishes me well, but playing golf for a living, it's all you. You've got to be self-reliant.

Q. I want to ask you about the putter. Are you back to the long putter or what?
JAY WILLIAMSON: Well, I've got two in my bag this week. One is about waist length and one is about throat length. We'll just see. I don't really like the way it performed last week. Putting just looks so darned easy and for some reason it's difficult, and I don't know why that is. A long putter seems to simplify things, so when I feel complicated with the short putter, maybe it's time to try the long putter a little bit. So we'll see.
You know what, kind of like I won't predict the score this week, I won't predict what putter I'll have on Thursday morning. It'll be a game-time decision.

Q. With Vijay coming in here winning two in a row, do you think the guys are plain chasing or do you think it's up for anyone?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I'll tell you, when these guys that hit it like he does off the tee, when they get control of that putter and start making putts, they're really hard to beat, and obviously he's got some confidence now. I think he struggled a little bit earlier this year with that, and now he's got some confidence. Momentum and confidence are very important for a golfer, and I think he's got both of them working in his favor right now. He's got nothing to lose.
I guess he probably played here in '92 with the PGA. I don't know how he performed. But I don't know why this golf course would be tough for him right now. He's playing at a high level. Maybe the hurricane will slow him down a little bit. Hopefully the weather cooperates here the next couple days. It would really be a shame for that -- I must say, for those of you that don't know the history here, it would really be unfortunate for this place to have another strike thrown at it, because with the 9/11 attacks going on, Bellerive has really persevered through some tough times, and that would really be unfortunate. Hopefully we'll get it figured out later this week.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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